The Involuntary Guest
by Arianna Elly Vesle
Summary: Inuyasha needs a little Tender Loving Care, and his friends in the past have sent him to Kagome's time to see that he gets it. But how well will he cooperate once he wakes up? One-Shot


Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine. I'll take him if anyone offers, though. All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, because she is awesome and cool (and lucky)  
  
The Involuntary Guest  
  
By Arianna (Elly) Vesle  
  
Higurashi Kagome was in a hurry.   
  
Although she didn't like doing it because her mother worried so much, Kagome was heading for the well just before bedtime. She had tried to finish her homework, but she'd been unable to concentrate and had given up. It was getting late anyway, and if she wanted to go tonight, she'd have to hurry.   
  
Kagome wouldn't have been going to the Warring States period so late in the evening, under normal circumstances. But she had looked at her wall calender exactly seven minutes ago and realized with a start that she had promised Inuyasha she would be back that morning.   
  
Obviously, she had forgotten her promise. But while Inuyasha was probably furious at her for forgetting, it wasn't worry over his foul temper that had her concerned. Usually, if she wasn't around, Inuyasha came looking for her. But today, he hadn't come.  
  
So now she was heading for the well, slipping into her backpack as she went. Her forehead bore slight traces of worry lines, and her pace quickened a little bit. Even if he wasn't in trouble, Inuyasha would certainly be angry. He didn't like it when Kagome stayed home too long. But Kagome would have felt much better if he'd have appeared to yell at her. It didn't feel right.  
  
Kagome raced up the steps of the well house and pushed the door open. Then she stopped and gasped.  
  
Inuyasha was already in the well house. But he was slumped over the edge of the well and Kagome's mind leapt to attentiveness at once. His pale hair brushed past his face as the wind from outside blew in the open door. But he didn't move, and as Kagome's startled eyes took in his prone form, she let out a cry.  
  
Blood was dripping from various wounds and splashing onto the floor.  
  
"Mama! Mama!" Mrs. Higurashi hurried from the kitchen where she'd been doing dinner dishes. When she saw Kagome, she stopped and held a hand to her cheek.  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Mama, help me!"   
  
Kagome was struggling to drag the inert Inuyasha up the stairs and into the house. Mrs. Higurashi's expression became firm and she nodded. Then, hurrying towards Kagome, she turned back over her shoulder and called, "Souta! Grandpa! Come here, please, I need you!" Looking towards Kagome again, she reached towards Inuyasha and slung a limp arm over her own shoulders.  
  
"Goodness, Kagome, your friend doesn't look so good. What happened to him?"  
  
Kagome heaved a sigh. "I have no idea."  
  
Grandpa and Souta appeared in the doorway of the house. Grandpa made a startled face.  
  
"Aaaa! It's Inuyasha!"  
  
"Kagome!" Souta ran down the stairs. "What happened to Inuyasha? Is he alright?"  
  
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Souta. Please help Mama and me carry him up to my room."  
  
"YOUR room?" Grandpa repeated, looking startled.  
  
Kagome stared at him blankly for a moment, before her face suddenly turned bright red. "Grandpa! Don't be silly! What could Inuyasha possibly try in the condition he's in?"  
  
"Oh, don't make a fuss, you two. Let's get him inside first, it's chilly out tonight."  
  
"Omp!" Kagome and her mother dropped the unconscious hanyou rather unceremoniously on Kagome's bed. Mrs. Higurashi tactfully said nothing.  
  
"Look there!" Souta pointed at Inuyasha's arm. Kagome blinked.  
  
"A . . . note?" She reached over and detached a folded piece of paper that had been pinned to the boy's sleeve. She unfolded it and read aloud.  
  
"'Dear Kagome. Sorry to put you through this, but we really had no choice. Inuyasha has been poisoned by a youkai which he was fighting for no apparent reason.'" A sweat drop started forming on the back of Kagome's head, but she continued reading. "'We thought the safest place for him would be in your time where he can't do as many stupid things. We had to knock him out to keep him from harming himself, and he was probably tired anyway, so we expect him to sleep for a while. Sorry again for any inconvenience, but we were convinced that you would have been distressed to return and find him deceased. Shippo says to hurry back. Respectfully yours, Miroku, Sango and Shippo.'"  
  
As Kagome finished reading the letter, she glanced down at Inuyasha. The sweatdrop on the back of her head got bigger and started to slide down her neck.  
  
"Inuyasha . . . you idiot."  
  
Miroku leant back against a rock and let out a long satisfied breath. Sango looked up from Kirara sitting in her lap. Shippo, also sitting nearby, looked into their campfire earnestly. "Are you sure Inuyasha will be alright?" he asked. Miroku smiled slightly.  
  
"Of course he will. Kagome-sama will take good care of him."  
  
Sango stroked Kirara gently. "They always look after each other, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Shippo folded his hands behind his head. "I just hope he doesn't do something stupid and mess it up."  
  
"There's not a great deal Inuyasha can do in his present state. That poison was very effective, even if the youkai was rather weak in the end."  
  
"Hmph! If Inuyasha was more careful, he'd never have gotten poisoned in the first place," Shippo replied.  
  
"He's very imprudent," Miroku agreed. Sango smiled gently.  
  
"Especially when Kagome's not around to keep him focused."  
  
"I miss Kagome," Shippo said, childish face falling a little. Miroku sat up.  
  
"Well, don't worry. Inuyasha will recover before very long and be ready to come back. And you know he won't leave without Kagome."  
  
Sango scratched Kirara behind one ear. "It's actually very convenient for Inuyasha. This saves him the embarrassment of going to fetch Kagome-chan."  
  
"Heh! I only hope he sees it that way," added Miroku, grinning.  
  
"Oneechan, is Inuyasha really going to be okay?"  
  
Kagome pulled a bandage taught around Inuyasha's middle and stuck it down with medical tape. She gave Souta a cheerful smile. "Sure is!" She reached out and touched a finger to Souta's worried face. "So cheer up. I'm sure he'll wake up soon and be back to yelling and fussing and complaining and being rude as usual." She took a piece of gauze dipped in disinfectant and started dabbing away at scratches on Inuyasha's arms and face.  
  
Souta blinked. "Huh?"  
  
Kagome smiled again. "Ah . . . it's okay, Souta. Now why don't you go to bed?"  
  
"Okay . . . but don't leave without letting me say hi to Inuyasha tomorrow!"  
  
"Deal. Good night, Souta."   
  
As her little brother left the room, Kagome turned and suddenly facefaulted.  
  
With Inuyasha on her bed . . .where was Kagome going to sleep?  
  
Kagome settled down on the couch, sighing heavily to herself. 'This is so unfair,' she thought, closing her eyes and making a face. 'There is no way Inuyasha deserves such nice treatment!' She sighed again and turned over, trying to go to sleep.  
  
Several hours passed. The moon rose in the sky, but even so the sky darkened until it was a black shroud pierced only by the moon and faint slashes of starlight. All was quiet and still.  
  
Quiet and still, that is, until suddenly the hanyou in the second bedroom woke up with a start and sat bolt upright.  
  
'What tha - - where am - - how did - - Miroku!' Inuyasha's left ear twitched, along with his right eye. 'Why that miserable - - I'm going to kill him just as soon as I get back!' His nose twitched. 'This whole place smells like Kagome!' He looked around. 'This looks like her 'bedroom' or whatever she calls it. How stupid. Obviously, I can see there's a bed here!' Inuyasha blinked suddenly. 'And she's not in it. Where could she have gotten to?' "Stupid woman," he muttered aloud, climbing gingerly out of bed. His right arm hurt, and his ribs on the left side, but he got up anyway and opened the door. No sign of anyone. The house was quiet.  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the air. 'Kagome's here, anyway,' he thought. 'Her scent's fresher out here.' He took a step into the hall.  
  
CREAK!  
  
Inuyasha stopped and made a horrible face at the offending floorboard. 'Stupid, new-fangled house! So noisy!' He started down the hall again, attempting to take as few steps as possible.  
  
'I think her scent is coming from that room over th- -'  
  
While Inuyasha had his nose in the air, trying to pinpoint Kagome's location in the unfamiliar house, he made two fatal mistakes.  
  
One was having his nose in the air instead of looking down at the floor.  
  
The other was not stopping while he failed to look at the floor.  
  
Grandpa awoke with a start. He sat up and gasped. "That noise! Someone's in the house!"  
  
Mrs. Higurashi's eyes flew open. "Oh! What could have made that crash!" She sat up in bed. "There must be a prowler in the house."  
  
Souta woke up and jumped out of bed at once. "What was that?!"  
  
Kagome slowly opened her eyes and groaned. "Ohhh, what's going on? Just when I was finally asleep . . . ." She got up slowly and trudged off to have a look.  
  
Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head where he'd hit it on the wall. "*^(&!#@$#!%", he growled. He stood up and was about to keep going when his nose twitched again and he stopped short.  
  
What was that funny smell that was quickly drawing closer and closer and - -   
  
He spun around. "AACK!"  
  
Kagome's sleepy eyes flew wide open as she heard her mother's voice shrieking from the hallway. She ran towards her. "Mama! Are you alright?"  
  
Kagome slid into the hallway, straining her eyes in the darkness, to see her mother welding a wooden baseball bat. Grandpa and Souta were close behind, Souta with a plastic wiffle bat to assist his mother's real one, and Grandpa with a pillow, but looking quite fierce. Mrs. Higurashi was pummeling the intruder, who was crumpled in a self-defensive heap on the floor.  
  
"You ruffian! You hoodlum! I'll teach you to sneak around people's homes! Try to steal from my precious family, will you?! Take that! And that!"  
  
"Ow, ow, ow! Hey! Ow!"  
  
"A robber? In our house?" Kagome looked startled. Grandpa and Souta joined in and started wiffling and pillowing the thief. Kagome frowned into the darkness. "But that doesn't make sense! Why didn't Inuyasha wake up and - - ACK!!" Kagome scrambled down the hall. "Mama! Mama, Grandpa, Souta, stop it, stop!" Kagome slid to her knees as her surprised family backed away. The twitching lump on the floor came to life rather violently and roared into Kagome's face,  
  
"STUPID WOMAN! YOUR FAMILY TRIED TO KILL ME!"  
  
Kagome scowled at him. "I was going to feel sorry for you, Inuyasha, but now I don't think I will."  
  
"Inuyasha? Oh dear, I made a mistake." Kagome's mother set the baseball bat aside.  
  
"Inuyashaaaa! We are sorry!" Grandpa bowed. Inuyasha made a face, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Keh! You think you actually hurt me with weak blows like that?"  
  
"That just means he accepted Grandpa's apology, right?" Mrs. Higurashi whispered.  
  
"Uh huh," Kagome nodded. Inuyasha stood then, but swayed a little. Kagome caught his arm. He stared at her for a moment, then, turning slightly pink, frowned.  
  
"I don't need any help from - -"  
  
"I can't even touch you at all?" Kagome interrupted. Her voice rose. "Oh, so is that how it is? You find my touch disgusting, is that it?" Kagome's face was so angry, that Inuyasha didn't know what to say, and so, making sure not to let her triumph at having utterly confused him show on her face, Kagome led him back towards her bedroom.  
  
"Souta," came her mother's stern voice from behind them. "Inuyasha tripped on one of your toy cars because you didn't put it away like I asked."  
  
"Sorry, Mama. I forgot."  
  
"Well, please take it away now and go back to bed. Kagome, dear, are you sure you don't want to switch places with Inuyasha now?"  
  
"It's okay, Mama. I'll need to change the sheets before I can sleep in my bed again."  
  
"What?" Inuyasha looked miffed. "And after you were complaining about TOUCHING people, you won't sleep in a place where I've been?"  
  
"Because you probably BLED on it, stupid idiot!"  
  
"So what! A little blood never hurt anything. And I won't be going back to your room anyway." Inuyasha stuck his nose into the air. "That stupid Miroku didn't need to hit me over the head. I'm going to get him back just as soon as we go back to - -"  
  
"Inuyasha. Sit."  
  
So busy talking with much annoyance about his fine state of health, Inuyasha had failed to realize they were back in Kagome's room until she sat him down hard and he got a mouthful of Kagome-smelling bedclothes.  
  
"Gah! You stupid girl! What was that for?!"  
  
Kagome put her hands on her hips. "It's the middle of the night, and you're hurt! There's also no way I'm going back with you at this time of night, so you might as well stay here where it's safe until morning."  
  
"But - -"  
  
"Don't argue with me," Kagome warned. She turned away and her face flushed as she spoke. "Honestly, I don't see how you can be so selfish and ungrateful! I don't have to let you stay in my home, you know."  
  
"It's not like I ever asked you to," Inuyasha snapped back, then instantly realized he'd made a mistake when Kagome whirled to face him, her eyes wide. Her hands were clenched at her sides and Inuyasha could feel her trembling. He blinked in surprise and unconsciously sat back down on the bed, certain she was about to sit him but good.  
  
But she didn't. After a few seconds, her hands unclenched and she turned. "I'm going back to bed now. Do whatever you want." She left and Inuyasha, very much at a loss, stared after her, confused.  
  
"Ka . . . Kagome . . . ."  
  
Outside, wind blew softly through the tree branches. The moon slowly set and then the sun rose.  
  
Kagome slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, she couldn't remember why she was sleeping on the couch. Then, with a sudden sting, she remembered why and frowned a little. 'That stupid Inuyasha," she thought. 'Oh, well, forget him. I'm sure he went back through the well already. So I'm going to have a nice breakfast and go back when I feel like it.'  
  
Kagome got up and walked towards the kitchen. She could hear her mother's voice, and Souta's too. Kagome smiled slightly. It was nice to be home.  
  
When she passed through the kitchen doorway, she suddenly stopped, amazed. Inuyasha was sitting on the kitchen floor, with Buyo comfortably situated on his knees, and Souta hanging on close by and chattering away at him happily. He didn't move when Kagome came in, but his eyes met hers at once and she almost thought he smirked at her. Kagome's mother turned to smile brightly at her.  
  
"Ohayo, Kagome. Breakfast is almost ready. I let you sleep in a little late today, but since Inuyasha is here, I supposed that you wouldn't be going to school anyway."  
  
"Kagome, you didn't tell me Inuyasha would stay for breakfast and everything," Souta added, obviously very pleased. He looked up at the hanyou boy with open admiration. Embarrassed, Inuyasha focused his attention on knuckling Buyo between his ears.  
  
"Don't make a big deal out of it, kid," he said gruffly. Buyo gave a rusty purr. Kagome took a step closer.   
  
"I thought . . . I mean . . . after last night I thought you'd . . . ." Inuyasha's head lifted swiftly.  
  
"So, I decided to stay around for a while! Got a problem with that?!"  
  
Kagome shook her head. "No – I'm glad you decided to stay," she said, smiling. Caught off-guard by her pleased reaction, Inuyasha merely grunted and started poking at Buyo, who was too lethargic to care.  
  
"Kagome, would you like to take a nice breakfast to share with your friends?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, cheerfully.  
  
"Oh! That'd be really nice, mama," Kagome replied. "Inuyasha and I will wait and eat with the others," she added. Inuyasha made a slightly rude noise but didn't actually say anything. Kagome turned. "I'll go get dressed, then I'll be back to help you pack it."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Kagome was dragging her overstuffed backpack towards the well. Inuyasha, arms crossed, followed behind. As Kagome attempted to heft the pack onto her shoulders, he reached out and took it from her.   
  
"I'll carry it. I can't wait all day while you try to lift it," he said, swinging the pack over one shoulder.   
  
Kagome smiled a little. "Feeling better this morning?"  
  
Inuyasha looked disgusted. "I'm fine, and I was fine last night too. I didn't need any help." Kagome just shrugged. "Well, at least you had a chance to get a good night's sleep for once. It's not healthy to get too little sleep." Kagome yawned. "I should know."  
  
"Don't treat me like a child," Inuyasha grumbled. "I can take care of myself."  
  
"That's not the point!" Kagome opened the door of the shrine.   
  
"Eh?"  
  
Kagome slapped a hand to her forehead. "Inuyasha, how can you possibly so clueless?" Inuyasha blinked, his face totally blank. "Oh, honestly! Inuyasha, everybody knows that you're completely self-reliant. But did it EVER occur to you that when you care about someone - -" The boy blinked again, eyes widening. Kagome flushed. " - - When you care about someone, you like to do nice things for them sometimes? Even if they don't need it?"  
  
Inuyasha blushed a little, then frowned, trying to hide it. "That's a stupid idea."  
  
"Oh yeah? So why are you carrying my backpack, then?"  
  
Inuyasha's mouth opened immediately, but nothing came out and so he closed it again.  
  
"Ah HA!" Kagome shouted, gleefully.  
  
"I - - it's - - there's food in it, that's why. I want to eat. Besides, if you hurt your back, you won't be able to find Shikon shards. Then you wouldn't be any use!"  
  
"SIT!"  
  
Inuyasha slammed hard into the floor. He struggled. "You little brat," he hissed. "What was THAT for?!"  
  
"Inuyasha, you are SUCH a jerk!"   
  
He got to his feet. "What are you talking about?!"  
  
"After I try so hard to be nice to you and then you're just being RUDE to me again!"  
  
"Don't expect me to treat you special!"  
  
"Well, you won't have to! You can just go back by yourself!" Kagome slapped her hands onto her hips. "Honestly, Inuyasha! Don't you even care about me at all?"  
  
"Of course I care about you!"  
  
He stopped, blinking, then turned his head away. "Woman, stop asking me stupid questions."  
  
There was a long moment of silence. Then Kagome's face suddenly appeared directly in his line of vision. She was smiling again. "I like you too, Inuyasha," she said cheerfully.  
  
"Huh?" He blushed again. She shook her head.  
  
"Mmm. Never mind. Come on, let's get back before breakfast gets cold."  
  
"Whatever." Inuyasha let Kagome take his hand and pull him after her into the well.  
  
The shrine stood empty and quiet once more.  
  
  
  
The End  
  
Author's Notes: My first completed Inuyasha fic! I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing it. Someday I may make an audio version of this fic available on my website, but we'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, I'd like to thank T-chan (boytype), V-chan and Mikey, for helping inspire me and proofread and such, and Marci-girl and T-chan (girltype) just for being so spiffy. *Blows kisses* And thank you, reader, for your kind attention. I appreciate your time. *Bows* Please come back soon! 


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